Table of contents for 28-2020 in Best

I’m not sure if this only happens to women with 20-something daughters but, in our house, the apparent misdeeds by Rebekah Vardy against Coleen Rooney is the ultimate ‘Whodunnit’. It has it all: Celeb fall outs, press leaks and a Miss Marple-level of deduction powers. We don’t have a ‘side’. We just want to know who is telling the truth… The very fact that Rebekah has chosen to take this strange tale of leaking stories about our Col to court (see page 27) is a bold move. It should, at least, make people reconsider their position if they had deemed her guilty. But it’s a risky business, and it seems Coleen is prepared to spend as much money as it takes to defend her allegations. Let’s see if a learned…

She prayed for her husband to survive Coronavirus – and he did. But Covid-19 had wreaked ‘extraordinary damage’ on Derek Draper’s body, says wife Kate Garraway. Three months after Derek entered hospital, he is still in a coma in intensive care. And Kate is left praying for a second miracle – in a situation her GMB colleague, Piers Morgan, described as ‘gut-wrenchingly sad’. Last week, Piers brought fresh hope to the star via an interview with nurse Mandy Mitchell, who is back home after spending 93 days in intensive care in a coma. Piers told Mandy: ‘You’re a fantastic inspiration to everybody who may have a loved one who is still in intensive care, and may be worried sick about whether they’ll come out. We have one of our own,…

TOP TIP! Team a pretty sundress with a pair of wedges or heels for a more glam look.…

‘I had always thought that most human beings didn’t like change. They feel comfortable with what they know, and scared of what they don’t. As a result, they rarely move house, change jobs, and stay in relationships for longer than they want to. But it seems the pandemic and resulting lockdown has changed that, after a survey by Co-op found 1 in 4 of us want to change our lives and 40 per cent of us are already making plans for the Big Life Change. It’s funny how massive, forced change – that you didn’t want or ask for – often spurs people on to make the changes they do want. I guess it gives them courage and confidence in an “If I can deal with this, I can deal…

Whether you want to try a trend or embrace and make more of what you have naturally, our hair update is a great place to start… MORE VOLUME TRY… Lifting at the roots when blow-drying, says stylist Paul Windle of Windle London. Apply a volumising product, such as Windle & Moodie Thickening Cream, £16, on the roots of wet hair before applying heat from your hairdryer and using a brush to help with movement and direction. For very fine hair, finish your blow-dry with a blast of cool air, with your head upside-down, to lift and set the style. Don’t overload your hair with too many products and pay attention to scalp cleansing to get rid of product build-up. HIGH SHINE TRY… A protein-infused mask to repair any compromised texture…

Salmon Stir Fry I roast the salmon separately from the stir fried noodles to stop it from breaking up in the pan so everyone gets big chunks! PER SERVING CALS 593 FAT 20.8g SERVES 4 300g salmon fillets2tbsp soy sauce2tbsp honey300g egg noodles (medium)1tbsp vegetable oil1 inch ginger, chopped2 cloves garlic, sliced5 spring onions200g bean sprouts200g mangetout1 lime, cut into wedges Coriander and fresh red chilli, for garnish 1 Preheat oven to 200C fan (220C)/gas mark 7. Lay the salmon fillets on a baking tray, sprinkle over a little soy sauce and all the honey and bake in the oven for about 8 mins, then remove until ready to use. 2 Break the egg noodles in half and cook to packet instructions, drain in a sieve and leave to air…

TV presenter Kate Humble is best known for her work with wildlife and travel programmes. In 2007, she moved from the chaos of her home city, London, to set up her own farm in rural Wales with her husband of 28 years, TV producer Ludo Graham. Here, she talks about her new TV show, The Weekend Workshop, where she joins a team of talented crafters, working their magic to transform the forgotten objects in our homes. The 51-year-old also reveals how lockdown became the inspiration for her upcoming book, A Year of Living Simply… The Weekend Workshop looks like fun – and it’s timely too, given many of us are still stuck at home… It was a lot of fun, but it was a bit outside my comfort zone because I’m not…

Fresh air and the vitamin D we get from sunshine are crucial to our health. But there’s a hidden danger when it comes to repeated over-exposure to the sun – skin cancer – and it kills seven Brits a day. Here, our columnist Ulrika Jonsson admits she’s aware of the damage it can cause, but still loves to sunbathe, while Loose Woman Janet Street-Porter, who loves to go rambling, recently found out just how dangerous too much sun can be… ‘MY DRUG IS THE SUN’ Ulrika Jonsson Straight-talking best columnist Ulrika Jonsson opened up recently about her ‘dangerous addiction’ – the sun. The unapologetic Swede, 52, admitted that, when she left her home country for the UK in 1979, she couldn’t believe how ‘pale, colourless and pasty’ Brits were –…

It’s been nine months since Coleen Rooney typed those now iconic words, ‘It’s… Rebekah Vardy’s account’ – thus beginning perhaps the most-talked about scandal involving British WAGs in history. In the epic fall-out, now known as ‘WAGatha Christie’, the footballers’ wives found themselves at war. Mum-of-four Coleen, 34, memorably pointed the finger at then-pregnant Rebekah’s social media for leaking stories to the press. Yet Rebekah was adamant that she was not responsible. So adamant, she has now launched a £1m High Court lawsuit against her nemesis. It’s a bold and risky move but it will no doubt make people stop and think about their position if they ever did think she was guilty. This Whodunnit began to unravel last October when, in a historic spot of detective work, Wayne Rooney’s…

TIME TO CHANGE? I’ve realised over the past few weeks how very few people reach out to me. I’m in a very happy marriage with two fabulous children who have flown the nest – but this time of reflection has made me realise I don’t have many friends. I have acquaintances – but no one I’m particularly close to, it’s quite sad! I’m starting to question if it’s because people don’t really like me – or if I’ve just been so distracted by my home life that I’ve never needed anyone else. How can I fix this? Grace, London Have you considered that you’re so happy in your marriage and with your kids, that other people might think you don’t need their friendship? Maybe your contentment is perceived as exclusivity,…

Thai yellow prawn curry Try this quick and easy fragrant curry, made with just eight ingredients – ideal for a busy weeknight when you’re short on time. Serves 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes SmartPoints per serving 1 teaspoon vegetable oil1 tablespoon Thai yellow curry paste400g tin chopped tomatoes450g prepared butternut squash, cut into 2cm pieces400g green beans, trimmed350g raw king prawns, peeled with tails left on400g cauliflower florets Handful coriander, leaves picked and chopped 1 Heat the oil in a nonstick wok or frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and 250ml water, then add the butternut squash and bring to the boil. 2 Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered,…

Best is offering the opportunity for five readers to win a newly launched Russell Hobbs Inspire Microwave in black! The unique textured casing and luxe chrome accents, completed with a sleek mirror-finish door, complement and contemporise the kitchen. Featuring five different power settings, an impressive 700 watts of power and a defrost setting, this microwave by no means compromises style over performance! To enter, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at hearstmagazines.co.uk/best2820 by 24 July 2020. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2713 by midnight on 24 July 2020. Calls cost 30p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access charge, and will last no longer than two minutes. Calls from mobiles may be higher. Phone line closes at midnight on 24 July 2020. If you call…

FINANCIALLY Fabulous Join our campaign and get your finances sorted at hearstmagazines.co.uk/ffbest for money-saving tips and brilliant advice on being financially savvy. 1 IF THE EVENT IS CANCELLED …you should be entitled to a full refund. Contact the company you bought your ticket from – however, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to recover booking fees or postage charges. If you bought event tickets from a ticket seller, you may have extra protection, depending on who you bought from. Secondary sellers like StubHub and Viagogo are offering refunds on tickets, or you can have a voucher worth up to 125 per cent of the original purchase price, for future bookings. 2 CANCELLING DIRECT DEBITS With gyms closed and sports events cancelled, companies have allowed customers to ‘pause’ membership and subscription services.…

Gary and Martin (right) reflect on the glory days of the New Romantics following Spandau Ballet’s 40th anniversary celebrations, in this mockumentary-style look at their chart-topping heyday… Martin Kemp, 58, is known for his long-lived singing and acting career. He is married to Shirlie Holliman, one half of pop duo Pepsi & Shirlie, and the pair share two children, Harley and Roman. Tell us about the show… It’s a weird mix of comedy and nostalgia – anyone that takes it seriously needs their heads looking at! We’re sort of playing ourselves, but a very exaggerated version. For example – I was born with three kidneys, but the show says I have five… just silly things like that. It must have been hard, keeping a straight face… I laughed through all…

CANCER 22 June – 23 July The Fast and the Furious actress Michelle Rodriguez, everyone’s favourite archaeology action star Harrison Ford, and other Cancerians will find that channelling their energy into creative work will be uplifting. They will happily rise to an artistic challenge and this helps give them a sense of inner calm. LIBRA 24 September – 23 October You’re trying to be open and honest but it’s hard to respond to questions people are asking when you don’t know the answers. You aren’t deliberately causing confusion. How can you say what you want when you don’t really know? This isn’t a time to commit to anything long-term. CAPRICORN 22 December – 20 January Changes you had been dreading will bring improvements into your life. New measures that need…

To watch, helpless, as your own child becomes poorly is every mother’s nightmare – and it was Katie Price’s reality very recently. A scene of joyful family celebration quickly turned to panic, as Katie’s oldest son, Harvey, 18, fell ill at his sister Princess’s birthday party, which was being held in the former glamour model’s rented Surrey mansion. The 42-year-old, who had Harvey with former Man Utd footballer Dwight Yorke, called an ambulance, and watched with concern as he was put on to a stretcher by a masked medic, wheeled into an ambulance and driven to hospital. Harvey, who Katie has described as ‘my world’, has a series of complex needs – so it must have been doubly terrifying to imagine her already vulnerable son being whisked away to hospital,…

Loose Women’s Janet Street-Porter made a shock confession recently – that she was diagnosed with skin cancer – a potentially deadly disease. Hers is, she explained, a basal cell carcinoma – which are mainly caused by repeated, unprotected exposure to the sun – though she said she’s always been careful, and worn SPF 50. The feisty 73-year-old admitted that she initially thought the small, red lump on her nose, which she spotted after Christmas, was a mosquito bite as she had just returned from a trip to Australia. When it didn’t fade, she consulted a doctor, and was eventually given the heart-stopping news by a hospital consultant. ‘I showed this tiny spot on my nose to a dermatologist and he immediately referred me to a consultant, and they told me…

FRANKINCENSE A resin with a calming effect when inhaled to help relieve anxiety and stress. Used topically, it will also help nourish dry skin, reverse signs of ageing, tighten sagging and reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scars. Result! BUY: Dead Sea Body Scrub with Frankincense Oil, £7.79 – the perfect purifying body scrub to use from top to toe. DIY: Add a few drops of Miaroma Pure Frankincense Essential Oil, £13.99 (Holland & Barrett), to your moisturiser, hand cream or body lotion to reap the benefits of this fabulous oil. You can also mix it with shampoo to give body and bounce to tired, flat locks. FLAXSEED OIL One of the richest plant-derived sources of omega-3 fatty acids on the planet and, when used topically, it will improve…

‘Would you like to dance?’ asked the tall, handsome stranger with twinkly eyes. I smiled and accepted. It was November 1988 and I was a widow in my 40s, having lost my husband, Peter, two years earlier to lymph node cancer. That night, I was out with girlfriends at a singles club. In those days, there was no online dating. But for a £1 entrance fee, we could enjoy dancing and meeting others – if we splurged an extra £1, there were free drinks and a buffet! I was still grieving for Peter and raising our son, Robert, then 19, was my priority. But I missed having a man to go out with. ‘Just a spot of male companionship,’ I’d think wistfully. Now bopping around on the dance floor, my…

MY KIDS WON’T TALK TO ME… I really thought months of being with my children would have allowed us to get closer, and open up to each other more – but, if anything, I feel even more distanced from my twin son and daughter, 18, than ever before. I ask them questions about their lives, what their aspirations are, if they’re dating, etc, and they practically run away! I know it may sound dramatic, but it’s quite heart-breaking. I am a single mum, and my twins are my absolute world – but I never get much back. It’s a struggle to even get at least one of them to sit down with me to have dinner. What can I do? Amanda, Essex MANDY SAYS: As a mum, I know how…

FAB FIZZ! For a refreshing drink, try Blossom Hill Gin Fizz, £9, Asda, Morrisons and Co-op. This bubbly blend of crisp white wine, botanically infused water and dash of gin is great in a balloon glass with lots of ice and a wedge of orange. Cheers! LET US SPRAY Salad dressing can turn a healthy option into a dieting disaster! Add flavour without the cals with Heinz Salad Dressing Sprays, £1.99, in four varieties. Our favourite, Chilli and Lime, gives a 2 cal burst of flavour to any salad! HALLOUMI BURGERS Say cheese! Yet another brilliant burger to enjoy this summer! The Aldi Specially Selected Halloumi Burgers, £2.99 for a pack of two, are made with thick slices of the rubbery Cypriot cheese, coated in golden batter. Serve one sandwiched…

KEEP BUGS AT BAY YOU WILL NEED ✽ Kilner jars✽ Water✽ Fresh lemons✽ Fresh limes✽ Fresh sprigs of rosemary✽ Essential oils: cedarwood, lavender, lemon and thieves✽ Floating tealight candles Step 1 Remove the lids on the kilner jars. Slice the lemons and limes. Fill the jars three-quarters with water. Add 2 slices of lemon, 2 of lime, 2 sprigs of rosemary and 10 drops of each oil (40 total). Step 2 Top up with more water if needed. Float a tealight on the top, then light it to warm the water and release the aroma of the oils. Step 3 Place on tables near to where you will be sitting to keep the bugs away! Make fresh jars every two to three days. ✽ Plant some mint near your outdoor…